Why Africa loses out on MICE business to rest of the world

Poor infrastructure development, fragmented marketing strategies, and discordant visa regimes continue to hamper the full development of the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) market in Africa.

Lack of statistical data and an unstable political climate also make it difficult to sustain the market due to shifting policies by successive governments.

Delegates attending the 19th edition of Meetings Africa, the premier Pan-African event for the MICE industry in Johannesburg, South Africa this week said this market holds a unique key to unlocking Africa’s full potential in the global arena given the continent’s rich tapestry of cultures, breathtaking natural wonders, and rapidly developing urban centres.

An active MICE market on the continent would attract foreign investment, stimulate infrastructure development, and promote sustainable tourism.

According to W Hospitality, an organisation that specialises in the hotel, tourism and leisure industry in Africa, the global MICE market is worth around $650 billion (Sh83.8 trillion) to $700 billion (Sh90.3 trillion) but Africa, which is home to 25 per cent of the world’s population, “accounts for no more than around two per cent of that figure, or around $13 billion (Sh1.6 trillion)” with half of the African share, or $6.6 billion (Sh851.4 billion) going to South Africa owing to the more advanced facilities in the country.

Kezy Mukiri, the lead consultant at Zuri Events, said Kenya, for example, needs to invest in proper structures, key among them a fully functioning convention bureau able to market the country as a key MICE destination with the private sector taking the lead.

“It is the private sector that brings in the business as long as it is well facilitated by the government,” she said.

“We know how the business should look like having attended global forums such as IMEX, the tourism and events fair held in Frankfurt and Las Vegas each year. Previous attempts to have a convention bureau in place failed because there were too many bureaucratic tapes.”

Ms Mukiri said the entire infrastructure regime, from visa issuance to airport experiences and road network, must all “talk with each other” if Africa is to get a bigger share of the multi-billion-dollar industry.

“The entire ecosystem must be functional, right from the airports, the roads and hotels. There is usually the misconception that leisure travel is what drives tourism, yet it is the MICE delegates who return for leisure activities with their families and friends and will only do so if the country’s infrastructure is up to par,” she said.

Kenyatta International Convention Centre Chief Executive James Mwaura said going forward, the private sector will have an upper hand in formulating the framework to reestablish a convention bureau in Kenya.

He said the operationalisation of the bureau would ensure Kenya’s presence is felt in all gatherings where the MICE agenda is being discussed.

“We are at an advanced stage of actualising the convention bureau. We have had meetings with all stakeholders, including convention organisers, destination management companies, hotels, and tour operators. If our proposal to the cabinet sails through, the board to the bureau will be 70 per cent private sector-led and the government constituting 30 per cent,” said Mr Mwaura.

Fragmented approach

With a bureau in place, Kenya will consolidate its marketing strategies under one roof rather than having a fragmented approach where each entity markets its business on its own.

In the just-concluded fair in South Africa, several industry players, including hotels and event organisers from Kenya, conducted their businesses in scattered booths, whereas countries like Rwanda had all their teams under one roof.

Mr Mwaura said all successful convention bureaus in the continent and elsewhere are private sector-led but government-backed, citing the example of Rwanda, where Radisson Blu operates one of the best convention centres on the continent, with the government providing oversight roles. 

Even with the convention bureaus, there is little data to show the effect of the MICE business on the continent, with total arrival figures lumped together with all tourism numbers.

Such data may include the demographics and attendee preferences and help in developing targeted strategies for future events. 

 “The current client is locked, but what about tomorrow? Data can help us identify trends and opportunities, help in making informed decisions and maximise economic benefits not only to the organisers but the larger community,” said Zuri Events’ Ms Mukiri.

Lydia Kimani, the sales and reservations manager at Sawela Lodge, Naivasha, said governments ought to be facilitators, not only through the development of MICE facilities but in meeting some costs associated with selling the country as a MICE destination at international forums.

“It is costly to market the country abroad. You have to pay for air travel, accommodation and participation fees to the host countries. The government could cater for some of these costs or perhaps negotiate for subsidised hotel stays so that more players from the industry can be part of the campaign. All we want is to grow the numbers and bring the MICE business to Kenya regardless of the entity that won the bid,” she said.

South Africa leads in the MICE business on the continent, having won 53 international business events running between 2024 and 2029 and bringing over 24,000 delegates to the country.

In November this year, the country will host the G20 Leaders’ Summit, for the first time on African soil.

The G20 nations represent 85 per cent of the global economy, 75 per cent of international trade, and 67 per cent of the world’s population. 

“The G20 summit is more than just an event - it is a statement to the world that Africa is ready to take its rightful place in global economic leadership. It is also a demonstration of our proven ability to host safe, world-class events of scale,” said South Africa’s Minister for Tourism Patricia de Lille.

The country has introduced critical visa enhancements to facilitate smoother access, including the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS), which simplifies group visa applications for key markets like India and China, the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), and the Digital Nomad Visa for attracting long-stay business travellers and remote professionals.

“Visa inefficiency has long been a barrier to growth, especially for key tourism markets like China and India. Digitalisation is the lowest hanging fruit as it ensures that every traveller can do so quickly and securely. Kenya has succeeded with the digital travel authorisations and so can we,” said Dr Leon Schreiber, the country’s Minister of Home Affairs.

The event attracted 410 exhibitors from 27 African countries alongside buyers from 63 international markets.